I signed up to get Michael Moore’s latest documentary Slacker Uprising a few weeks ago and this morning I received an email telling me it was now available. The documentary covers Moore’s failed bid to oust Bush the Lesser from office by giving out Raman Noodles and clean undies. With none of the emotional impact of Sicko and none of the laughs of An American Carol Slacker Uprising is being distributed online for free (or $9.95 for the DVD). The movie can be watched on Blip.tv, iTunes and Lycos or downloaded from Amazon, iTunes and Hypernia.

However, despite the free-love goodness and the clear support for Obama, Michael Moore has failed to take a page from the Obama social media playbook and leverage social media to get the movie’s message out. The Slacker Uprising site has no way to embed or super-distribute the movie (missed the button) no way to comment or rally support around it, there isnt even a means for people to indicate support or provide any feedback on the film. All fairly standard social media tools, which would extend the viral distribution of the film, defray some of the cost and amplify its message.

American political thought is dominated by talking heads and media personalities who get on TV and radio programs and shout inane platitude’s at their audience and each other. If you’re like most Americans, you accept these platitudes, unless they run contrary to your preferred bias in which case you then turn to American Idol and veg out . However, every once in a while a commentator will remember that they are supposed to do more then entertain and polarize. Every once in a blue moon they will think test the validity of assumptions and talking points peddled by professional screamers. The Huffington Post has a story about this clip with Chris Mathews showing the historical ignorance of wingnut commentator and popular radio host Kevin James.

It started back in June of ’07 with “I Got a Crush on Obama” and culminated in “Yes We Can“, people from all walks of life have taken Barak Obama’s message, reimagined it and then shared it with millions of their closest friends via the internet. That trend shows no signs of letting up as we get closer to election day. The latest in this trend is a short-film called Barackula. Made by first-time filmmaker Mike Lawson it promises to be an interesting indie media look at the early years of the future president. I’m hoping that its as interesting as their blog makes it sound, the movie was supposed to be released online yesterday but still isnt up and I cant wait to see it.

Barackula is a short political horror rock musical about young Barack Obama having to stave off a secret society of vampires at Harvard when he was inducted into presidency at the Harvard Law Review in 1990. Obama (Justin Sherman) finds that he must convince the vampire society that opposing political philosophies can coexist or else the society may transform Obama to the dark side. Reminiscent to Michael Jackson’s Thriller and a slight infusion of Jesus Christ Superstar, the film solely depicts Obama’s strengths, merits and genuineness while being quietly respectful towards the other presidential candidates.

The nature of the medium has changed the tenor of the message. Two videos posted this month to YouTube show the power and potential impact of online messaging. The first is will.i.am’s inspirational probama (pro-Obama) video which has attracted millions of people with its moving subtext, great music, beautiful celebrities and grass-roots, folksy nature.

The truly transformative power of Internet messaging is its ability to level of the playing field and allow all voices to be heard. Seizing on this power, a group of political activist supporting John McCain, have posted an inspirational and moving video of their own. While lacking some of the production qualities of the will.i.am video, its another moving example of how the Interent is giving voice to impassioned, but previously voiceless Americans.